Automobile traffic signal



' v. DE DOMINICIS AND A. REIP.

AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

APPLlCATlON FILED DEC 20, 1919. I

Patented June 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-$HEET l I 2 2%? r Y I .fltzornqys V- DE DOMiNlClS AND F. A. RElP. AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED 05 ;.2o,19\9.

PatQnted June 13, 1922.

A I 2 HEETSS'HEET2 FUNETEE STATES VINCENT DE DOMINICIS AND FRANK REIP, OF EAST PATENT @FFEQE.

cannon, NEW JERSEY;

AUTOMOBILE TRAFFIC SIGN AL.

Application filed December 20,1919. Serial ing to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in automobile traffic signals, and more particularly relates to that class of signals which has to do with the showing proposed stops orturns to the right or left, so that a vehicle carrying the signaling apparatus may apprise the drivers of following vehicles of proposed stops and changes in directions in order to avoid an oncoming vehicle colliding with a preceding vehicle.

The invention consists in the. construc- 7 tions, combinations and arrangements of b parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 shows in dotted lines a rear View of an automobile equipped with an improved signaling apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the signal mechanism nal covers lifted.

Figure 3 is a side 'elevational view of the signaling apparatus with parts shown in section. I

Figure at is a vertical sectional view through the signaling apparatus.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 shows a plan of the switch panel.

The drawings show only one mechanical embodiment of which the invention is susceptible.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l designates a casing adapted to be secured in any desired manner to an automobile or other vehicle in such a position that the signaling devices carried by the casing 1 may be observable by the drivers of oncoming vehicles in the rear. Figure 1 shows in dotted lines a rear elevational view of a Specification of Letters Patent.

and useful fi showing one of the sig- Patented June 13, 1922'. No. 346,339.

plilotor vehiclle, indicated at 2, and having e improvec signaling apparatus Imounted at therear thereof provided with a number rear wall in which are pazpels 3, 4 and 5 bear- SL101 for instance a Stop, Right, and Left. S

signals thereon may be observable in daynight. The signal panels 3,4 and 5 are norby covers 6,7,and 8, respectively. I These covers are arranged to be removed from the panels selectively by any suitable apparatus in order to reveal any particular signal. 1 i

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, secured to a rock shaft 9 so ing 1. There is preferably a loose connection 14 between the arms 10 and 11 in order to take up the oscillatingmovement of the lever 12, and, as shown in Figure 4, this connection 1 1 may be made by the pin joint shown.

In like manner the covers 7 and 8 are mounted on similar rock shafts and are similarly connected to levers also designated by whereby such rock shafts plunger 18 which is connected to the respective lever 12 by a rod or other connection 19.

The solenoids 15, 16

with the opposite ends of the solenoid coil 15, 16 and 1 ,Other desired position.

An electric lamp 36 is placed in the casing, 1 to illuminate the signal panels at r i gghhone side of the lamp being connected bya Wire 37 to one side of the'battery 30. The wirev 38 connected with the opposite side cf the lamp 3.6, is providedwith three branches 39;, 4L0, 4:1 which connect to contacts I 42, 43; and 44: carried, respectively, by the three. levers 12. The contacts 45, i6 and d7 are connected by a common wire 18 with the opposite side of the battery 30-; a switch 49 beingincluded in the lamp circuit in order that, thelamp, circuit may be kept open duringdaylightandonly put into operation at night In use, the casing 1 carrying the various devices, above described, is placed in the position shown in Figure 1 on the motor vehiclge 2;,orin any other desired position, where the signal panels may be observable by drivers ofvehicles in the rear, and the switch panel 32= is arranged in a position for convenient Operation by thedriver of the motor vehicle.

Shpuld it be proposed to make a stop, say, for; instance, in obedience to a signal given by a traffic oiiicer at a street intersection, the driver of the vehicle equipped with our invention will depress the push button 35, thus closingthe contacts 23. and: 26- shown in Figure 4, and completing the circuit 20, 31, through the solenoid 15; This energizing of the. solenoid 15 causes the core 18 to be drawn downwardly which, through the con-s nection 19., causes, the lever 12 to be swung downwardly about itspivotal. point 13. The downwardswingi-ng of the lever 12 is accompanied by a, partial: rotation of the rock shaft 12 I con icct the lever and rock shaft, and viewed from the position. shown in Figure 3, the rock shaft 9 will be turned in a counterclockwise, direction, thus swinging the lid or cover 61 upwardly and showing the signal panel 3 with'the word Stop thereon.

' on said rockshaft, a

arm and extending up,-

reason. of the arms 1 0- and 11 which In case the operation just described is effected during daylight, the electric lamp Switch 19; will be in the open position shown in Figure 4, and consequently when the lever 12 brings the two contacts 4:2 and 4:5 togcther the lamp 36 will not be lighted; whereas'if the switch L9 is closed for use at night, the two contacts 4C2 and 45 will complete the circuitthrough the lamp 36 and cause the illumination of the Stop panel 3.

In like manner, when a proposed turn to the right is to be made, for instance at a street intersection, the push button 34L is depressed, causing the contacts Q l and 27] to be engaged and the circuit 21 closed through the intermediate solenoid 16, thus raising the cover 7 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and'disclosing the signal panel a.

In a similar manner the left switch button 33 may be depressed to reveal the switch panel 5, indicating to those in the rear of the panel that such vehicle is about to make a turn toward the left.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of our invention, and therefore we do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claim.

We claim;

A signalling device for vehicles comprising a casing having a display opening, a panel having signal indicia thereon disposed over the opening and being of translucent material, a rock shaft disposed within the casing and just above the opening and lying longitudinally of cured at its upper 23 longitudinal edge to the rock shaft within the casing and being curved outwardly to the exterior of the easing and adapted'to lie in front of the opening to normally obscure the same, an arm link connected to the free end of said wardly within the casing, a lever pivoted in the casing and disposed parallel with said rock shaft and substantiallv centrally of the casing; sai'dlever having its free end coupled to said link, electro-magnetic means adapted to draw down said lever, illuminating means in the casing, and fixed and movable contacts adapted 'to control said illuminating means, said movable contact being carried by said lever, substantially as described.

' VINCENT 'DE DOMINICIS.

FRANK A. REIP.

said openin a cover se-* ios 

